Here’s a quick video on how to get going on starting a photography project. As an event photographer, I find that working on personal projects have given me balance in my work life.

So how do you start a photography project?

The most difficult part of starting a photography project is the first step. But we often over-intellectualize things. We have a desire to fully understand what it is we are trying to explore with our work prior to even beginning. This, unfortunately, has the effect of causing anxiety because we quite literally do not have access at a conscious level to what we want to express.

My belief is that although art can be derived from the intellect, what spurs a creative process is a visceral response to something. We often have much more awareness in our subconscious than we do in our intellect. The process of artistic expression is an exploration of that awareness; it is this process that leads to a conscious understanding.

I KNOW THAT WAS TOTALLY WORDY

So put more simply:

Imagine you were given the task of sculpting something complex out of clay. Now imagine if you were asked to do it entirely in your mind. Every detail decided upon, before you even begin. Good luck.

This would be no small task. Not only would it require more bandwidth than you have available, but there comes a clarity when you dive into something hands on and work intuitively. Starting a photography project would be no different.